How to find good prices for flights? 2026 Fare Guide
Is R10,000 a good flight price? Depends where you’re going. It could be a steal for London and a little painful for Mauritius. If you’re looking for cheap flights from South Africa, knowing what a great flight price actually looks like makes it much easier to know when to book. So, when should you book flights, when are the cheapest months to travel, what affects flight prices, and what should you expect to pay for popular destinations? We crunched the numbers. Here’s your cheat sheet.
What is considered a good price for flights from South Africa?
A good fare depends on the destination, season and demand.
For this guide, we’ve used the average fare as a good-price benchmark, then highlighted the prices we’d consider great and exceptional.
| Destination | Average fare | Great fare | Exceptional fare | Best months |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mauritius | R11,500 | Under R10,200 | Under R9,500 | Feb, Nov |
| Zanzibar | R9,300 | Under R8,700 | Under R8,300 | Jan, Feb, Nov |
| Dubai | R10,300 | Under R9,800 | Under R8,900 | Feb |
| Bangkok | R10,700 | Under R10,000 | Under R9,700 | Oct, Feb |
| Phuket | R12,000 | Under R11,300 | Under R10,900 | Nov, Feb |
| Istanbul | R11,400 | Under R10,700 | Under R9,900 | Feb, Nov |
| London | R16,100 | Under R13,500 | Under R12,800 | Feb, Nov |
| Paris | R15,000 | Under R13,100 | Under R12,400 | Feb, Nov |
| Amsterdam | R14,300 | Under R13,300 | Under R12,900 | Feb, Nov |
| Singapore | R14,700 | Under R13,700 | Under R13,100 | Nov |
Think of these as benchmarks, not permanent price tags. Flights have commitment issues, so prices change quickly.
What is a good price for flights to Mauritius and Zanzibar?
For Johannesburg to Mauritius, the average fare is around R11,500 return. Under R10,200 is a great fare, while anything below R9,500 is exceptional.
For Johannesburg to Zanzibar, the average is around R9,300. Under R8,700 is great, with fares below R8,300 firmly in exceptional territory.
November and February are worth watching for both.
How much should flights to Thailand cost?
For Johannesburg to Bangkok, the average return fare is around R10,700. Under R10,000 is great, while below R9,700 is exceptional.
For Phuket, the average is around R12,000. Under R11,300 is great, while below R10,900 is exceptional.
October and February can be good for Bangkok, while November and February are worth watching for Phuket.
If you’re searching for cheap flights to Bali from South Africa, the same rule applies: compare nearby dates and seasons before deciding whether the fare is actually good.
What is a good price for flights to Dubai?
The average return fare to Dubai is around R10,300.
Under R9,800 is a great fare. See something below R8,900? Very nice.
February tends to offer better value, while December usually comes with peak-season pricing.
What is a good price for flights to London and Europe?
For London Heathrow, the average return fare is around R16,100. Under R13,500 is great, while below R12,800 is exceptional.
The same benchmarks across Europe look like this:
- Paris: Average R15,000, great under R13,100, exceptional under R12,400
- Amsterdam: Average R14,300, great under R13,300, exceptional under R12,900
- Istanbul: Average R11,400, great under R10,700, exceptional under R9,900
For Istanbul, these figures are based on IST. Flights into SAW can be cheaper.
November and February are good months to watch.
Christmas and New Year? Your wallet already knows.
What is a good flight price to Singapore?
For Johannesburg to Singapore, the average return fare is around R14,700.
Under R13,700 is a great fare, while anything below R13,100 is exceptional.
November is worth watching. December, less so.
When is the best time to book flights?
There is no magic booking day.
The best time to book flights is when you have enough flexibility to compare dates and recognise a good fare when it appears.
A few simple rules:
- Start searching a few months ahead.
- Book earlier for December and school holidays.
- Compare dates around your ideal departure.
- Don’t wait forever once the fare hits a good range.
The more fixed your dates are, the earlier you should look.
What is the cheapest time to travel?
The cheapest time to travel is often outside peak holiday periods.
That makes off-season flights and shoulder season travel worth considering.
From the fare data above, February and November repeatedly show up as good-value months across several destinations. But that doesn’t mean you should leave the bookings to a month before. Best to book more than 6 months ahead for travel in those months.
December? Great vibes. Expensive flights.
Why do flight prices change?
If you’ve ever wondered why flight prices change, the answer is demand.
Airline ticket prices can move based on:
- Seat availability
- Travel season
- School holidays
- Route demand
- Airline competition
- How close you are to departure
So the fare you saw last week may not be the fare you see today.
How to find cheap flights from South Africa
If you want to know how to find cheap flights, flexibility helps most.
Try:
- Searching a few different dates
- Comparing nearby months
- Avoiding peak periods where possible
- Knowing the typical fare for your route
- Comparing airlines before booking
- Checking what baggage is included
That applies whether you’re looking for cheap international flights from Johannesburg, cheap international flights from Cape Town or anywhere else in South Africa.
Should you wait for a cheaper flight?
Sometimes. But if the fare is already within the usual great price range, your dates work and the itinerary makes sense, waiting could cost you more.
Find a great flight price for your next trip
Now that you know what a good flight price from South Africa looks like, search your dates and compare. Whether you’re looking for cheap flights to Mauritius, a good price for flights to London or affordable international flights to Asia, check current fares on Travelstart and see how they measure up. Your next trip might already be sitting in the “very good idea” price range.
